A Belfast man has died after falling off a hotel balcony in Spain, his family said.

Gary Lavery, 44, died just hours after arriving in the Costa Brava on holiday on Monday evening.

It is understood the barber from the Andersonstown Road area fell from the second floor.

His mother, Betty Lavery, said her son loved every minute of his life.

"We were very, very close, we could talk about anything to each other," she said.

She told Ulster Television her son would have gone out of his way to help people. "He was very popular and well known and very good to everybody," she said. "Anybody was in trouble they all went to the shop."

West Belfast MP Paul Maskey said Mr Lavery, who was known by the nickname Chub, would be sadly missed.

"He was a business owner who worked very hard," he said.

"He was widely known and was a real character. He leaves behind family that are broken hearted.

"It is hard enough when a loved one dies closes to home but happening in a foreign land is even more difficult for the family."